Headlight-controlling device.



R. D. TU'FTS & 0.. P. MILLER.

HEADLIGHT CONTROLLING DEVJCE.

APPLICATION mm mm: 22. 1.915. 1,200,670 Patenmd Oct.10,l916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I R. 0. TUFTS & c. P. MILLER.

HEADLIGHT CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPUCATION min was 22, 1.915.

Patented Get 10, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- abkowcng 5 earns Ahlh'il oasis.

EAYMCND D. TUFTS AND CHARLES 1?. MILLER, 03: PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS F ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM R. I-IAGYARD, OE PITTSFIELD, MASSA-CHUSETTS.

I HEADLIGHT-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

ea er/o.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 10, 1916.

Application filed June 22, 1915. Serial No. 35,638.

ling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to head light controlling devices, and moreparticularly to devices for turning the head light of an automobile'soas to direct the rays in the direction in which the machine is turned.

It is one aim of the invention to so construct the device that it willefi'ectually serve to turn the head light without vibration and furtherto so construct the device that it may be readily applied in a fewmoments to any ordinary motor vehicle by merely .applying the lampbracket or head oi the device to the ordinary head. light socket orbracket and connecting another element of the device to the distance rodof the steering mechanism of the vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the devicemounted in op erative position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thedevice removed from the ve hicle. Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevationand partly in vertical section of the device. Fig. a is aperspectiveview of one member of the device. Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view onthe line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation of thatmember of the device which is connected to the distance rod of thesteering mechanism.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters. f

The device embodyingthe present invention includes a barrel indicated bythe numeral 1 and provided with a cylindrical bore, and this barrel isprovided at one side with an arm 2, which projects laterally and Vthence downwardly and is adapted to be fitted into the ordinary socket 3provided upon the vehicle and into which socket is ordinarily fitted thestem of the lamp bracket.

In the drawings the bracket or fork above mentioned is indicated at aand. is in itself of ordinary construction and may vary in size to.accommodate various sizes of lamps. The stemof the bracketincludes acylindrical body 5 which is preferably solid and which is slidably androtatably fitted within the bore of the barrel 1 as indicated in Fig. 3of the drawings, and this body is provided at its upper end with anupwardly projecting stem 6 which supports at its upper end andexteriorly of the barrel 1, the said bracket pr fork 4:. Fitted to thestem 6 is one member 7 of a thrust bearing vcomprising a disk having aball race 8 and a similar member or disk 9 is also fitted to the stem 6and is provided with a ball race 10, bearing balls 11 being arrangedwithin the said races 8 and 10, whereby toaiford anti-friction bearingbetween the said members 7 and 9. A cap 12 is threaded onto the upperend of the barrel 1 and serves to close the same and this cap isprovided with an opening 13 in which the stem 6 is slidably androtatably received. The wall of the opening 13 is formed with s anannular groove receiving a washer or gasket 14 of felt or other suitablematerial for the purpose of excluding dust from the interior of thebarrel. A spring 15 is fitted to the stem 6 within the barrel and bearsat its lower end against the member 9 of the thrust bearing and at itsupper end against the inner side of the cap 12, this'spring exerting anormal tendency tomove the stem or body downwardly within the saidbarrel.

The body 5is provided at its lower end with a downwardly extending stem16 and 'fitted to this stem are members 17 and 18 of a thrust bearing,which members correspond to the members 7 and 9 previously described,bearingballs 19 being interposed between the said members 17 and -18.-The lower end of the barrel 1 is closed by means of a cap 20 and aspring 21, corresponding to the spring 15., is arranged within the.

lower end of the bore of the barrel and bears at its lower'end againstthe cap 20 and at its upper end against the lower end of the body 5 ofthe bracket supporting stem. The spring 21 opposes the spring 15 will bereadily understood and therefore upward and downward sliding movement ofthe body 5 within the barrel is cushioned and yet the body may have freerotary motion'iwithin the barrel due to the provision of the thrustbearings described above.- The cap is provided with an opening 22through which the stem 16 projects both slidably and rotatably and thewall of this opening is provided with a groove receiving a washer 23corresponding to the Washer 14. In order that the wall ofthe bore of thebarrel may be lubricated and also the to form spaced ears 7 betweenwhich is fitted an ear 28 at the upbnt endlof a rod 29. A pivot pin30 isreinov ably fitted between the said cars 27 and 28 whereby to pivotallyconnect the same. The rod 29 may vary in length, depending upon the makeof machine for which the device is intended or, in other words,depending .upon the distance between the bracket 3 of the machine andthe distance rod of the steering mechanism, which rod is indicated at31, and the rod at its end opposite its end at which the ear 28 islocated is bent to-extend downwardly and provided with the ball member32 of a universal joint. The cup. or socket of this joint comprises twocounterpart members 33, each provided at its upper end with a half cup34: and at its lower end with a half collar 35, the members having theircollar portions 35 fitted about the distance rod 31 and secured inclamping engagement with the rod by means of bolts 36 and 37. The bolt36 extends through the members above the distance rod 31 and the bolt 37extends through the said members below the saiddistance rod. As stated,these bolts constitute means for clamping the members to the distancerod and the bolt 36 serves also as a means for varying he tightness offit between the ball and socket members of the joint just described.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understoodthat there is provided a device of this class which be readily appliedto any ordinary motor vehicle without in any way altering theconstruction of any part of the vehicle and it will be apparent that asthe distance rod 31 is shifted laterally, the stem comprising theportions 5, 6 and 16 will be turned in one direction or the other so as"to direct the rays of the head light into the path of travel of themachine. It will be understood that instead of the pivotal connectionbetween the stem 16 and the rod 29, some other type of connection may beprovided if desired.

Having thus described the invention, What i is claimed as new is:

1. In a headlight controlling mechanism of the class described, abarrel, a member mentioned stem extending axially with relation to thesaid bo'dqy, a spring arranged within the lower end of the barrel. andhearing upwardly against the said body, and means connected with thesaid last mentioned stem for imparting motion thereto and arranged. forconnection with an element of the steering mechanism. of a vehicle.

2. In head light controlling mechanism of the class described, abarreh-a member including a body slidably and rotatably fitted withinthe barrel, caps rcmova'bly ,fitted upon the ends of the barrel, springsarranged within the ends of the barrel and bearing against the caps andagainst the opposite ends of the said body, a stem extending fromone endof the body for supporting a lamp bracket, a stem extending from theother end of the bodyand rigidly connected therewith, and a memberconnected with the last mentioned stem for both sliding and rotarymovement therewith and adapted for connection with an element of thesteering mechanism.

3. In head light controlling mechanism of the class described, a barrel,a member in cluding a body sli'dably and rotatably fitted within thebarrel, caps removably fitted upon the ends of the barrel, springs arranged within the ends of the barrel and bearing against the caps andagainst the opposite ends of the said body, a stem extending from oneend of the body for supporting a lamp bracket, a stem extending from theother end of the body and rigidly connected therewith, a memberconnected with the last mentioned stem for both slid ing andurdtarymovement therewith and adapte'il for connection with an element of thesteering mechanism, and anti-friction thrust bearings interposed betweenthe said springs and each end of the body.

tures.

RAYMOND D. TUFTS. CHARLES P. MILLER.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signa

